Biding Time
by Kikixeni
Summary: Elli's grandmother is dying, and Jack is doing all he can to support her. But somebody seems to be trying to sabotage his happiness at every turn... You never know what people are thinking. Now with a surprise ending.
1. Chapter 1

_Biding his time. Yes, he was biding his time. Frigidity had fallen, and he could smell nothing in the flat winter air save his own wrath. And his oppression. Yet the time for vengeance would come. Vengeance against Jack. But for now he was biding his time; always biding his time._

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Stepping out of his small country home, Jack had to shield his eyes against the garish light of the sun against the snow. He surveyed the land for a moment, his eyes scanning the barn, the henhouse, the gently rolling field that lay under a blanket of snow. Everything seemed to be at peace. Good. Working during these tranquil mornings was like not working at all.

A broad smile crossed on the farmer's face as he tended to his livestock. His farm was his true passion in life. He had never known the wonders of good, solid labor with plants and animals until the day he arrived in Mineral Town. The bond of friendship formed with the earth and its creatures never ceased to amaze him... and among the people of Mineral town, he found someone to share a bond of love.

He fed the animals, brushed each sheep and milked each cow with care, as he did every day. Because winter had enveloped the land, there was no work to be done in the field. Though he enjoyed working with the crops, he was grateful to have less work. He had other errands to run on this particular day.

With his smile still lingering, Jack left his farm and began walking briskly down Main Street. His fist, stuffed deep into his jeans pocket, tightly clutched a thin, wispy object that had been there since he purchased it, so many months ago. Many months of waiting. Biding his time, you could say. He snickered to himself.

Her house was up ahead, nestled between the library and the Mayor's house. Smoke puffed diligently from the chimney, dark against a backdrop of white.

_Knock knock._ Some snow dropped from the roof as Jack knocked on the door.

"Just a moment!" came her voice, muffled.

After a moments wait the door creaked open. Jack was hit by a wave of warmth, from the warm sight of Elli's face and from the fire that blazed in the hearth behind her. "Jack!" her voice was pleased, almost relieved.

"Elli..." he took a jerky step towards her, fondness for her glowing like an ember in his heart. He loved her so much.

"I'm glad you're here." Her beautiful brown eyes were filled with worry. "Please, come in."

Concern flooded Jack's mind, pulling him away from his bliss. "Elli, what's wrong?"

She stepped aside to allow Jack to step inside, which he did, and paused. The house was stuffy and hot; uncomfortably so. Why didn't they open the shutters? The only light came from the fireplace, even though it was such a nice day outside. Then Jack saw why. Ellen, Elli's elderly grandmother, lay in bed, wrapped so tightly in blankets it seemed as if they were tying her in place.

"Oh my..." He rushed to her bedside and dropped to his knees to get a better look. The old woman's face was pulled into a tight frown, though her eyes were closed and she made no noise. Sweat covered her face in a glossy sheet. Ellen was deeply ill. "How long has she been like this?"

He could hear Elli move behind him. "The fever started last night." Her voice was high, near breaking point. "I called the doctor immediately. We treated her with all the medicines we had, but there's little we can do... the fever won't break." Jack looked up to see her eyes filled with tears, and then looked down at Ellen. What a horrible surprise.

Jack sat with Elli for much of the afternoon. Her younger brother, Stu, was away at Barley Ranch, where he could play with his friend May without worrying his young mind over his grandmother. Without his energetic ruckus and Ellen's jovial chatting, the house was unusually quiet. Jack and Elli spoke little, sitting in nervous silence near the fireplace. Elli periodically stirred; was Ellen too hot? Should she put another log on the fire? Should she boil some water for tea? What should she do?

As Elli worried for her grandmother, Jack couldn't help but worry for Elli. She looked weary. It was apparent that she had spent the previous night awake, fretting and flitting over Ellen. She needed a break.

"Elli, why don't you come outside for a minute?" Jack stood from his chair and looked at her. "You could use some fresh air."

Elli looked as if he had suggested she stab her grandmother there and then. "I can't leave her!"

"For a minute you can. You'll kill yourself if you keep working like this, and then who will take such good care of her?" He walked towards her and put a hand on her shoulder.

"A-alright. Just for a moment." She allowed him to guide her out the door and into the fresh air, where it was much easier to breath. The two leaned against the wall, and for a moment, just a moment, Elli breathed a smile. But it was only for a fleeting instant, and then her face returned to a look of deep consternation.

Jack watched her from the corner of his eye. In his pocket, he could feel the wispy object... the blue feather... he had intended to give her today. But now he knew he couldn't. Not for a while, anyway. Not until Ellen was healthy... or if that didn't happen, well... Not for a while. He would have to keep on waiting. Continue biding his time. He sighed.

After a moment Elli spoke. "Thank you. I really feel better now." By her fake smile, Jack could tell she didn't feel better at all. "I should really go back inside now. And I know you're busy, Jack. Why don't you head home? It's getting late, and I don't want to keep you."

"No, I don't mind, I'll stay with-"

"Really. It's okay." Did she want him to leave?

Jack looked unsure. "Well, if you think I should..."

"Thanks Jack. Truly." Well, she didn't appear to be angry with him... maybe she just wanted some privacy. "Oh, and could you tell Stu to come home on your way?"

"Of course."

"Thank you. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah..."

With that, Jack turned and left, feeling dejected. It pained him to see Elli in such a state. It pained him to see Ellen in such a state. If only he could just zap their problem away.

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Hes pent the rest of the evening fishing on his farm, letting his mind fall into blankness as he watched the fishing line bob indolently on the water. His trusty dog, Chachi, wandered aimlessly around him. _I wish I could be a dog,_ Jack thought. _Free of all cares, all worries... no sick grandmothers, no thwarted marriage plans..._ For the millionth time that evening, he sighed.

When night fell he went to bed, leaving Chachi tucked cozily into his doghouse. Before he went to sleep, he muttered a silent prayer for Elli and Ellen. _Hopefully this will all just blow over..._

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_The cold. The damned, wretched, omnipresent cold. It hurt him. It bit him. Just like the darkness. Damn it all. Damn Jack.But that was why he was biding his time. Always, always, always biding his time. But not for much longer. Not much longer indeed. And this thought made the cold melt away, if only for a moment._

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AN: Constructive criticism always appreciated, the harsher the better! Hope the story isn't too unclear.


	2. Chapter 2

_He made his first move. Finally. The long wait had been painful. But worth it. So worth it. Nothing was more refreshing than the taste of fresh blood on his teeth. He may not have gotten the blood he wanted, but blood was blood. Blood was delicious, when taken in vengeance._

_Now he retreated into the shadows. Another short wait. Short. Biding his time. Barely.  
_  
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The next morning, Jack awoke at his usual time, groggy and confused. He couldn't figure out why he felt so sad. He proposed to Elli yesterday, right? Scratching his head, he saw the blue feather resting on his bedside table. Oh yeah. The proposal never happened. Ellen was sick, so he decided to wait. Damn.

He dressed and ate breakfast in a sorry state, with drooping shoulders and a broken spirit. Why did she have to get sick now, of all times? Better yet, why did she have to get sick at all? Warm toast and scrambled eggs didn't cheer him up, and still depressed he went to his door to go outside.

Alright. It was time to pout his troubles behind him and get to work. _Those animals aren't going to feed themselves_, he thought to himself as he pushed the door open.

_Thud._

The door hit something halfway through opening. _Huh, funny,_ thought Jack. He looked down.

And screamed.

_What the hell what the hell??_ He stumbled backwards, hit a chair, fell to his rear and then clambered to his knees. His eyes were glued to the doorstep, where lay a feathery, beaked, shredded mess of a chicken corpse.

It would have been one thing if the chicken was intact. He'd dealt with dead animals, such was a natural occurrence. But this body was not intact. He had probably never seen anything more mangled and destroyed in all his life.

Grimly he approached the door to get a better look. Half the feathers were plucked away, lost in a vast sea of snow. The beak, once strong and sharp, was not shattered. Various patches of skin were torn off, revealing red jelly innards that spilled out onto the snow.

This was no natural occurrence.

Adopting a business-like demeanor, Jack retrieved a plastic bag from the kitchen to dispose of the body. He tried not to breathe in as he carefully placed the chicken in the bag and set the package aside to be buried later. Then he went to the tool shed to grab a shovel, which he used to overturn the bloody snow. However, he found there was more blood than he first thought. In fact, there seemed to be a trail of red droplets leading to the chicken coop.

He went to the henhouse and saw the door ajar. The coop itself was empty. Dammit. During the night, someone had deliberately slaughtered one of his chickens and freed the rest.

He buried his face in his hands. Why did have to deal with a sick and twisted vandal _now_, of all times? He had other things to deal with...

After what seemed like hours Jack gathered up all the loose chickens. The birds blended in with the god-forsaken snow, damn them, and he had to track each down by listening for the soft sounds of their clucking in the distance. In addition to the chicken fiasco Jack still needed to complete his everyday chores. By the time he finished, the sun was already high in the sky and he still hadn't buried the chicken.

He exited the barn and turned trudged towards the house. When he got there, he was angry to see his dog, Chachi, poking at the bag with his nose. "No! Bad dog!" He took the last few steps at a run, shooing the dog with waving arms. Yelping, Chachi scampered away.

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The dead chicken became nothing but a nervous itch in the back of his mind as he focused on his primary concern: Elli. He hurried down the street, ignoring the winery owner as he called out a greeting. When he arrived at her house he didn't even bother knocking, he opened the door and quietly slid inside.

Elli was curled up on an armchair near the fire, clutching a mug of a hot drink. She smiled weakly when she saw the farmer. "Hi, Jack."

He was about to greet her when another voice spoke. "Hello, Jack." He felt irritation grow in his gut. The voice belonged to the village doctor, Elli's employer. It was common knowledge that the doctor was hopelessly and irrevocably in love with his nurse. For that reason, he and Jack did not get along.

"Morning, Doctor." Jack's eyes were dark with an unspoken warning. _'Stay away from her.'_ The two men glared at each other, flooding the small room with tension until Elli interrupted.

"Grandma's fever went down today."

The doctor frowned. "Only a little, Elli."

"It's better than nothing." Elli set her drink on the table and straightened her posture. "You're a doctor; you've seen cases like this. She could easily get better!"

"Yes, well, remember Elli. False optimism will only lead to poor decisions and-"

"Aw, c'mon Doc, don't be like that." Beaming at Elli, Jack sat on the edge of her chair. "We should be happy she's getting better."

The doctor's eyes flashed. "-and I don't want to see you get let down," he continued.

"Thank you, Doctor." Elli smiled.

Jack focused on her grandmother. Ellen looked just as disturbed as yesterday, he was surprised to see. Not "getting better" at all, despite Elli's shining optimism. In fact, she almost seemed to be getting worse.

Elli stood and crossed the room. "We should take her temperature again; it's been about an hour since last time." She took the thermometer and approached Ellen's bed.

"I'll do it." The doctor rushed to her and, placing his hands over hers (Jack's eye twitched), took the thermometer. Before she could object, he said, "Why don't you go to the clinic and bring me some Turbojolt? I think it would do Ellen some good, no?"

Jack stood. "Good idea! I'll come!"

Elli looked unsure. "Well, alright, if you really think so..."

"Of course he does." Jack pulled her coat off the rack and gave it to her. As she draped it over her shoulders, he shot a "HAHA" look at the doctor. If he was angry, he gave no indication.

"We'll be back soon," Elli said as Jack led her out the door.

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After they picked up the Turbojolt, Jack managed to convince Elli (with much begging) to stop at Doug's Inn for a bite to eat. He wanted her to think about things other than her grandmother. Worrying so much could be only hazardous to her health. He also liked of being alone with her while the doctor wondered what was taking them so long.

"Why are you smiling?" asked Elli, seated across from him at the table.

He hastily frowned. "Nothing."

They were silent for a moment. Elli stirred at her drink, obviously thinking of things far-off. Jack nibbled his bendy-straw.

"I think," said Elli after a moment, "that Doc believes Grandma...has no chance." Jack looked up.

"What?" he asked, incredulous.

Elli's head was low, her face masked by her bangs. Her voice trembled. "And as a nurse... I have to agree with him."

Tentatively, Jack reached out and touched her hand. "Elli, please. Don't worry like that. Everything's going to be fine."

Her hand snapped away. "Don't worry?" She looked up, and her face was sharp. "How could I not worry? Aren't you worried about her?"

"I'm worried about _you._"

She sputtered and looked at him, brow furrowed. Then she forcibly stood. Her chair screeched as it was pushed back. "Me? ME? Why would you worry about me, you jerk? I'm not the one who's dying!"

"Elli..."

"I don't want to hear it!" she shrieked. And with that, she stormed out of the inn.

Jack dropped his head to the table. Great. Just great.

He tried to reach Elli back at her house, but she would not let him inside. The door was locked and the pale pink curtains drawn. The doctor pulled them back and flashed a smug "HAHA" grin, before letting them fall closed again. Damn him, for getting Elli all alone while she was mad at Jack... the thought filled him with vicious rage. Fuming, he went home.

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_Jack had angered him for the last time today. The last straw. The last time. Never again. There would be only a few more nights of cold, nights of anger, nights of terror for Jack, before it all culminated to a grand finale. No waiting at all._

TO BE CONTINUED.

AN: Jack was kind of a jerk this chapter, I think.

Oh, and just a side note. The italicized bits at the beginning an end of each chapter are from the point of view of a certain somebody who wants Jack to suffer. Just in case that's unclear.


	3. Chapter 3

_He was filled with glee. Today would be the day. Today he would act. Today he would kill. No more waiting. He was done waiting._

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Elli apologized the next day.

"I overreacted," she told Jack at the clinic, "and I'm really sorry."

Jack was shocked. "Don't apologize!" he gushed. His arm was around her shoulders. "Especially not now. You've got more important things to worry about." She sniffled.

Together they stood in the hospital room, looking over the body of the late Ellen, whose face finally displayed an expression of peace. "I just can't believe this happened," Elli squeaked. "How she fell ill so suddenly." Jack nodded. Just a week ago the woman was right as rain, complaining about her bad leg and rocking away in her rocking chair. "Oh, and what am I going to tell Stu?"

Just then, a bell tinkled over the clinic door as the doctor walked in from the street. He hurried to shut the door before the fierce wind outside could fill the room with snow.

"Doctor!" Elli moved away from Jack. "Where have you been?"

The doctor's narrow eyes looked deep with sorrow. "I thought Jack should know what happened. I went to his house, but no one was there except for his dog. I can see now that he already knows."

Jack was surprised. And touched. He knew he wouldn't have done the same for the ole sawbones. "Thanks, Doc."

"Of course," was the doctor's curt reply.

The rest of the day was quite stressful. Funeral arrangements had to be organized with Carter, the village priest. This included preparing a coffin, picking out a grave site, readying the body, most importantly, informing the townspeople. Going door-to-door to give the news, Jack could really understand what a wonderful woman Ellen was. She was like a grandmother to all, respected and loved by everyone in the close-knit town. Jack was blessed to have known her.

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At five o' clock, Jack and Elli walked down to Barley Ranch to pick up Stu. Since his grandmother had gotten sick he had spent his time there, safe from the upsetting events at home. While Jack waited at the gate, Elli went inside to fetch her brother. A few minutes later they emerged, trailed by a sad looking May. The little girl hugged each of them before dashing back inside.

Elli put her hand on Stu's shoulder, and together they approached Jack, their faces orange from the light cast by the setting sun. Elli looked at Jack. Her eyes were gleaming with tears, as they had been for most of the day. "The funeral will be tomorrow," she said. Stu looked at his feet.

"I'll be there," replied Jack. There was a moment of silence. "D'you want me to walk you two home?"

A weak smile. "No thanks."

"Okay." For another moment they were silent. "If you need anything, come get me." He stepped forward to kiss Elli on the cheek, clapped hand to Stu's back, and turned towards his farm.

He thought the day couldn't get any worse.

Then he arrived home.

The inside of the house was a wreck. A disaster zone, practically. Nothing seemed to be left untouched by whatever had passed through. A tornado, maybe? Hurricane? Armageddon?

Jack stepped over an overturned chair and began to appraise the damage. The bed sheets were torn off and partially shredded. The flower pot was smashed; it's contents dragged across the floor. In the kitchen, pots and pans were pulled from the lower cabinets. The mess would take hours to clean.

But that would have to wait, because first Jack was going to the police. Whoever had done this was likely the same person who slew the chicken, and was not going to get away with it.

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Officer Harris's face lit up with excitement upon seeing the crime scene. He immediately began to investigate, aided by several other officers.

"Now Jack, are you sure you have no idea about the perpetrator? Any-" his eyes danced, "enemies?"

"Ene-what? No!" Jack sighed. "Listen, it was probably-"

"Because you know," the officer interrupted, "the doctor and you seem to have a little spat going on over Miss Elli..." he trailed off under an angry glare from Jack, and spoke again when he realized the implications of what he said. "Of course, the doctor would never do such a thing..."

The police sweep conjured no evidence, but the officers kindly helped Jack clean before they left. "Lock your door tonight," advised Harris as he began to leave, "and should anything happen, please tell me!"

"I will sir. G'night."

"Good night!"

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_So close! But so far away... the fool had not been home. By the skin of his teeth Jack had escaped. His luck would soon run out. Another short wait, and tomorrow would be the day. Tomorrow would be the day. One short wait._


	4. Chapter 4

In the morning, Jack dressed in a black suit and hurried off to church. He didn't have much of an appetite for breakfast.

At the church he found Elli, looking somber in a plain black dress with Stu by her side. The three exchanged sullen glances, no knowing quite what to say. At the end of the sanctuary, in front of the altar, rested Ellen's casket. White cloths were draped over the top, buried in more flowers than Jack could plant in a season. Pastor Carter stood to the side, muttering a silent prayer.

Soon townspeople began to trickle in for the funeral service. Jack, Elli, and Stu took seats in the front pews, and the funeral commenced. Carter spoke comforting words about how Ellen was in the arms of the Harvest Goddess now, in the company of her deceased husband and daughter. In a segment that brought tears to the eyes of all present, the mayor gave a brief history of her life and spoke about her loving and gentle personality.

When the service was over, the organ pumped out some of Ellen's favorite hymns. The rest of the guests filed outside, headed towards Doug's Inn for a meal in Ellen's memory.

Jack turned to Elli. Her face was covered by her hands, her shoulders bubbling with suppressed sobs. Her face appeared from behind her hands. "Can I have a moment alone, please?"

"Of course." Jack took Stu by the hand and led him outside.

On the church steps, the pair of was silent. Jack watched the boy as he sat on the step, fiddling with a pile of dust and pebbles. His pale young face was oddly blank. No tears, no puffy red cheeks, no mournfulness at all. "You're being pretty brave," said Jack, sitting down beside him. The boy shrugged. "I was about your age when my grandmother died. I cried my eyes out then." He glanced over at Stu, expecting a response. None came until after a period of companionable silence.

"It's not fair." Stu chucked a rock down the steps. "Now me and Elli hafta be all alone."

Not necessarily... "Tomorrow, do you want to come over and help feed the cows?" Jack hoped this would cheer him up. Stu loved the animals.

He looked up suddenly. "Yeah, I'd love too!"

"Good," replied Jack. "In fact, you can come help every day, if you'd like."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'll be right back." With that, Jack stood and surged into the church, as if pushed by a sudden gust of wind. He had someone else to cheer up.

Elli was kneeling by the coffin with her head bowed low. She stood when she heard the door burst open and hastily swiped tears off her cheeks. "Jack? What's wrong?"

He crossed the church in a few swift steps. Elli gasped as he grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled her close. "Elli," he said, "marry me."

She stiffened in his grip; he could feel her muscles tighten. "What?"

"Marry me," her repeated. "It'll be good. Stu can come live with us on the farm. the two of you won't have to be alone!"

She didn't answer, just stared at him with eyes as white and wide as chicken eggs. Silently, he pleaded for her to say "yes." She was speechless. With joy, right?

Wrong. Her fist crashing into his jaw said so.

"You BASTARD!" Her voice was thick. "You'd dare ask me that at my own grandmother's funeral? In front of the body?!"

"I-I thought you'd be happy!"

Her face was wild with emotion. "I'm still grieving!" She pushed past him. He could only watch in shock as she flew down the aisle, away from him.

The marriage was put off. Again. This time, all hope may be gone. He chased after her.

He already knew where she was going. There was one place she always went when she was distressed. Once she told him her parents had often taken her there to picnic before their deaths.

A chilly wind blew, spurring him onwards as his feet took him along the street. Before he knew it, he was right where he knew she would be. The lake on Mother's Peak, frozen over in the winter season, covered with a dusty layer of snow. Elli sat huddled on the shore with her arms around her knees. Jack approached her, and she did not look up.

"Aren't you cold?" he asked, standing over her.

"No."

Silence. Winter was awfully quiet.

"Why don't you put this on?" Jack shrugged off his suit jacket and extended it to her. She reached with an impassive arm to take it, and draped it across her shoulders. The oversized jacket made her look small. "No offense," said Jack, "But you're acting like a little kid." He sat next to her in the snow.

"Can't I?" She sighed, and finally shot him a begrudging look. "I've been the adult ever since my parents died. It's been almost eight years. Don't I get one day to cry and pout and wish for my mommy?"

Jack looked at his feet. "If you marry me, you can act like that every day." That earned him a sharp glare. "It was a joke."

"Not a funny one."

"Look. I didn't mean to upset you by proposing. I thought I could cheer you up."

Silence, again.

"Don't you have anything to say?"

No response.

"Well?"

"Shhh. Listen."

"Huh?" What was she talking about?

After a moment he heard it. Rustling, coming from somewhere behind the pair. Simultaneously, they turned to see the bushes twitch. A low growl sounded. Jack shot to his feet and pulled Elli with him. "Must be some animal. We'd better leave it alone."

Just then the creature pounced. A flurry of brown fur leapt from the underbrush with a hissing snarl, white teeth flashing. Elli shrieked as Jack jerked her out of the way, and together they ran from the scene. Not until they arrived at the woodcutter's house did they realize the animal wasn't chasing them. Their sprint slowed to a jog, and finally a walk. Both were surprised to see that their hands were entwined.

"That was scary," panted Elli. She giggled. Her face was red and hosted a smile. Her first genuine smile in days.

"Yeah," agreed Jack. He was about to say more, but Elli stopped him with a sudden kiss. He pulled away. "What was that for?"

"Of course I'll marry you, Jack." Elli grinned. He stared at her for a moment, not quite believing her rapid changed of attitude. Then he let out a loud whoop of joy and crushed her into his arms. They did not let go of each other until back at Doug's Inn.

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"And so we are happy to now announce our engagement today. It's what Ellen would've wanted."

The announcement was met with enthusiastic applause from the people at the inn. Stu was the first person to reach them. "You're gonna be my brother!" he gleefully shouted, tripping over his own feet in the effort to reach them.

The mayor was soon behind him. "Congratulations," he said warmly. "Ellen will be watching over you."

Then came the doctor, looking as if his sheep just lost the annual wool festival in Rose Square. "Congrats," he said simply. He sulked his way to the food counter as more townspeople approached.

Jack and Elli, standing at the front of the dining room, smiled as they received best wishes from everyone. Though Ellen's life had ended, their new life together was just beginning.

_Jack would be dead within the hour. He would not tolerate being thwarted like so._


	5. Chapter 5

_In a few minutes, Jack would be dead._

Mournful feelings among the guests dissipated as the lunch progressed. Jack, Elli, Stu, and the mayor sat near the center of the room, closely surrounded by other tables and chattering people.

"I'll be right back," said Jack, leaning inwards so his companions could hear him. "Gotta use the bathroom." He stood and waded through the crowd, eventually making his way to the restroom door.

"Say, where's Doctor?" asked Elli once Jack was out of sight. "He left a while ago..."

"He went to use the restroom," answered the mayor, "but it has been a few minutes. He must be getting more food."

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All sound was abruptly cut off when the door thumped shut behind Jack, refreshingly quiet. Whistling softly, he padded across the pale green tiled floor to the mirror. He was startled to hear a voice when he was adjusting his tie.

"Congratulations, Jack. You've got what you always wanted," it said. He wheeled around to look for the source. It seemed to be coming from a closed stall.

"W-what?"

"You know what I mean," the voice continued. "You have found happiness, while my life is empty; devoid of light. I'm living in your shadow."

"Who are you?"

The voice sounded amused. "Who am I? I am the one who killed your chicken. I am the one who ruined your house. I am the one who attacked you on Mother's Peak. I am the one who will destroy you." There was a snarling hiss, then nothing but blasting pain at his neck. Intense pain, pinching, piercing, ripping his throat. Warm, thick liquid splashed across his face and everything went black.

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The doctor frowned. "Yes, yes, Ellen's death really was a sad thing. But she lived a long, fulfilling life..."

His words were lost in a flood of Manna's rambling. Damn, the woman talked too much. She had him cornered on his way to the bathroom. He really needed a minute alone, but she wouldn't shut up. Eventually, he pushed past her and headed towards the restroom. She didn't seem to notice him leaving.

Rubbing his eyes, he hefted open the big wooden door and stepped inside. The door slowly swung shut behind him. His hand dropped from his face, allowing him to see the most gruesome thing he had ever seen, even in all his years as a doctor.

Jack. On the floor. Dead. Blood everywhere. And a dog, tearing bits of flesh from the farmer's throat.

"Chachi!" The doctor yelled the dog's name, but the animal did not react, only continued to savagely attack Jack's body. In desperation, the doctor grabbed the nearest weapon he could find: a toilet plunger. He swung the plunger and smashed the dog in the side. Yelping, it ran towards the exit but crashed against the door. Good, it was trapped.

Just then the door swung open. "What's wrong? We heard yelling!" The innkeeper Doug blasted into the room, not noticing as Chachi slipped through his legs.

"STOP THAT DOG!" The inn burst into chaos as the blood-soaked dog shot across the room. Men dived after it, attempting to catch it. Women jumped on tables, attempting to avoid it. Elli stood and weaved through the mayhem, her eyes set resolutely on the bathroom door.

"Elli, no." The doctor caught her by the arm and pulled her away. "There's... there's been an accident in there."

"Jack." She forcefully jerked away from the doctor. "What did that son-of-a-bitch do to Jack?"

"Elli, no, this can wait-" She jammed a hand over his mouth and tramped into the bathroom. The doctor followed her.

She froze by Jack's side. "No..." Her cry was weak.

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Elli had always known there was trouble with Chachi. Jack treated his dog terribly. He never fed him, always left him outside, and if a stray dog wandered onto the farm, Chachi would be expected to fight it. Often she asked him to be nicer to the poor thing; she didn't like the evil eye with which Chachi leered at Jack. But in the end, it didn't matter.

Officer Harris confirmed the cause of death; the jugular was ripped by animal jaws, most likely a dog (Though at first, he was eager to blame the doctor). The police carried the body away while the townspeople watched, crying and hugging each other. Elli leaned against the doctor, her fist jammed into her mouth to prevent sobs. _Poor Jack. Killed by man's best friend._

**THE END! :D**

Author's Note: I know, I know. "WTF Kikixeni. WTF."


End file.
